Assessment of the Location of the Mandibular Lingula in Pediatric Patients Using Cone Beam Computed Tomography Images

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the position of the mandibular lingula in a sample of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images taken on pediatric patients.

Methods: A sample of 280 outpatient CBCT (i-CAT) scans (153 males and 127 females) were divided into three age groups: six to nine years (n=103), 10 to 13 years (n=103), and 14 to 18 years (n=74). The position of the lingula was determined relative to the anterior and posterior border of the ramus, mandibular notch, inferior border of the mandible, and mandibular plane. The mandibular angle was also recorded. In Vivo5 software was used to assess the images.

Results: The average distance for all positional measurements was significantly greater in 14- to 18-year-old adolescents when compared with six- to nine-year-old children. In the oldest age group, the mandibular angle was significantly more acute. Significant differences in distances were noted bilaterally across all age groups in boys and girls for distance from lingula to mandibular notch, to inferior border mandible and to occlusal plane, while for distance lingula to posterior border of ramus it was only for boys.

Conclusions: As children age, the mandible increases in all dimensions, except for the distance from the anterior border to the lingula. Small differences in the position of the mandibular lingula exist between boys and girls. These findings have implications for administering an inferior alveolar nerve block in children.